Thailand tourism situation

[handdrummer]

I feel sorry for those who are young and can't afford to travel and who will become more myopic about the world and it's people.

Experience suggests travel doesn't necessarily broaden the mind. You only have to read this forum to confirm that!

Thanks for the laugh.

[buksida]

If the generals think the mega-rich are going to flock to the scam/mafia driven ratholes that are Phuket and Samui after doing two weeks quarantine and bending over backwards to try and get non-existent covid insurance, I want some of what they're smoking. Its Thailand - not the Maldives!

There are plenty of countries that will welcome travellers back when this crap subsides.

[buksida]

TOURIST ARRIVALS TO PLUNGE 80% THIS YEAR DUE TO COVID-19
The Tourism Council of Thailand on Tuesday said it expects to see only an estimated 8 million foreign tourists this year, 80 percent down from last year, due to the impact from COVID-19 and air travel restrictions worldwide.

“However, we are confident that tourism in Thailand will begin to pick up in 2021,” said Chairat Triratanajaraspon, the council’s president.

He said that last year, Thailand had a record 39.8 million foreign tourists, whose spending accounted for about 11 percent of Thailand’s GDP.

Meanwhile, Santi Sawangcharoen, deputy executive director of East Asia for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, told the media earlier that he is banking on hopes that Chinese tourists will return to Thailand during Golden Week or the national holiday in October.

Santi said he believes Thailand will face tough competition from other countries also eager to lure Chinese tourists back.

Earlier on Tuesday Thailand lifted a ban on international flights allowing some groups of inbound travelers entry.

Thailand has lifted the night curfew and nearly all restrictions related to stemming COVID-19 pandemic; however, the state of emergency will remain until the end of July.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... -covid-19/

[buksida]

No tourists for Prachuap province ...

Travel bubble scheme drawn up in 3 phases
A travel bubble plan for leisure travellers has been drafted with three phases for opening, starting with a mere 1,000 tourists per day across five provinces.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said the ministry already asked the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) to design 6-7 day tour packages in five areas that are ready to join the pilot project, comprising Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... n-3-phases

[caller]

So you come to Thailand to be frog marched from tourist site to tourist site. Sounds like hell to me. Bad news if you just want some sun and to flop on a beach. Or want to visit Bkk.

[HHTel]

Agreed to both similar posts, caller!

[buksida]

Inbound tourists should prepare for 2-week stay
Leisure tourists who would like to visit Thailand during a soft reopening may have to spend at least 14 days within designated areas, though a negative test for Covid-19 after two weeks would free them to go anywhere in the country.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said his ministry has talked with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha about creating a travel bubble for tourists, requiring them to plan a trip with a minimum 14-day stay.

Instead of being kept in quarantine, tourists could still travel within five designated areas: Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya.

After two weeks, foreign tourists must get another swab test to ensure they are virus-free before being approved to continue their excursion to other destinations.

The ministry regularly talks with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration about the travel bubble plan, which is expected to be concluded in July.

The scheme will be proposed to the full body chaired by Gen Prayut at a later stage.

Mr Phiphat said he still hopes to launch the travel bubble scheme in tandem with low-risk countries in August, as domestic tourism alone cannot fully revive the battered tourism industry.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... -week-stay

[buksida]

Prime Minister says all travel bubble arrangements now on hold after Rayong scandal
The Thai government will reassess its current guidelines to allow specific groups of foreigners to enter Thailand, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

His comments came after administrative mistakes made by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) led to a possible coronavirus outbreak in the general public in Bangkok and Rayong despite there being no COVID cases outside of state quarantine in the previous two months.

The cases involve two foreign delegations from Egypt and Sudan who were allowed to enter Thailand without entering 14 days mandatory quarantine.

The current guidelines allow government officials among other groups to enter Thailand without passing through state quarantine.

The prime minister said that all of these measures will now be reassessed while previous arrangements will be put on hold.

“Our preventive measures and healthcare system should be able to cope [with possible outbreaks] but this is something that should not happen,” he said.

“I am saddened and I would like to apologise to all Thai people,” he added.

The PM said the CCSA will have to monitor and assess the latest possible outbreak situation first before the government can consider the possibility of allowing tourists to reenter Thailand.

“I have instructed tourism agencies to look at the possibility [for allowing tourists to enter Thailand] but the approval will be based on the outbreak situation in and outside the country first,” he said.

“We will not rush through this because there will be more problems when a lot of people are going to come in, especially from the ones that do not keep discipline and respect the rules,” he added.

The CCSA has earlier said that Thailand was in negotiations with five countries in regards to a travel bubble.

https://www.thaienquirer.com/15552/prim ... g-scandal/

[migrant]

Except, of course, the Chinese


https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... inese-back

[buksida]

Oh yes, the bending over backwards for them has already begun ... our dictators have very short memories as to where this virus actually came from.

Tourists will trickle back 'once a virus cure is found'
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) is predicting the hard-hit tourism sector will start to recover once a Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out late next year.

Kirida Bhaopichitr, the Institute's research director for International Research and Advisory Service, was speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) and addressed the notion that people were overreacting to the pandemic.

She said that in the first phase of the tourism recovery most visitors were likely to come from China and Asean as it was cheaper to travel within the region and it was also more friendly to them.

"We can expect more Chinese tourists in the post-Covid-19 world," she told a forum titled "Thailand's post-Covid-19 economy and the most vulnerable".

According to the TDRI, domestic tourism was already recovering but would not return to the pre-Covid-19 level [6% of GDP] due to safety and financial concerns.

At the same time, international tourism had dropped from 12% of GDP to zero.

Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent and FCCT vice president, asked panellists about the level of public fear, which he said "has gone beyond anything else I have ever seen in other countries".

He also remarked on what he characterised as the government's draconian measures, including turning its back on mass tourism and even putting off travel bubbles, despite the fact that it had managed to curb the spread of the virus well.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... e-is-found

[dtaai-maai]

Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent and FCCT vice president, asked panellists about the level of public fear, which he said "has gone beyond anything else I have ever seen in other countries".

He also remarked on what he characterised as the government's draconian measures, including turning its back on mass tourism and even putting off travel bubbles, despite the fact that it had managed to curb the spread of the virus well.

Good questions, not really answered.

[handdrummer]

Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent and FCCT vice president, asked panellists about the level of public fear, which he said "has gone beyond anything else I have ever seen in other countries".

He also remarked on what he characterised as the government's draconian measures, including turning its back on mass tourism and even putting off travel bubbles, despite the fact that it had managed to curb the spread of the virus well.

Good questions, not really answered.

The virus was curbed because of the draconian measures. If the country is opened up to tourists from everywhere, you can expect a return of the virus. It's not going away anytime soon.

[Big Boy]

My Mk 1 Eyeball tells me the recent domestic tourism bubble has burst in Hua Hin, which was as busy as I'd known it for about 4 weeks.

Saturday and Sunday mornings at Khao Tao, it has been heaving at the Southern end when I've walked around the lake. Traffic to and from Khao Tao was a lot lighter. We nipped into Market Village on the way home and it was very quiet.

I was actually expecting it to be busier this weekend with the assisted travel initiatives.

Has anybody else found it to be a lot quieter this weekend?

[buksida]

Enjoy it - the hordes will be back next week for Songkran.

[Big Boy]

Yeah, forgot about that. The calm before the storm I guess.